Could 120 stevedores employed at the Port of Belize limited lose their jobs?
Well tonight, there is a growing concern about that among the dockworkers and it has soured the already contentious relationship between workers and management at the private port. Those tensions boiled over into a demonstration today on the doorsteps of the Port where the workers made it clear they are not going out without a fight.
Alfred Fuller Sr., Stevedore
“And I will not stand for this. Because this is my job and this is my blood. I have 5 children to feed. Luke Espat won’t take care of them for me. This is a serious problem we have here and our President is playing like he doesn’t know what is happening. But deep down he knows.”
Keith Swift Reporting,
80 stevedores armed with placards began the fight to keep their jobs with a peaceful but determined demonstration outside the offices of Belize Ports Limited this morning. They are fighting to keep jobs which were advertised as vacant in last week’s papers.
Antonio Gonzalez, CWU President
“It appears and it seems since they went through this without even informing the union or the association that they have all intention of depriving the permanent stevedores of employment by going through that. So anyone can come up here and apply to be a stevedore and get a job disregarding the skilled stevedores that the union has under their umbrella right now. They are our members and union intends to protect their interests in every form.”
And it is a concern which brought these workers out here this morning. They are worried and angry, and the target of all this ill will is the private company, Port of Belize and more specifically, owner Luke Espat.
Leopold Smart, Stevedore
“We are picketing because Mr. Espat wants to come like a monster and we are not accepting a monster. This area is for the Christian Worker’s Union. The Port has come and built in the vicinity of Christian Worker’s Union so we have all the right. I personally am saying to Mr. Espat that if he jumps over his bound, we will take him to court or we will have to sue him because we have the right. We are the Christian Worker’s Union, the sole bargaining agent. Not even the government can take this away from we.”
Michael Tillet, Stevedore
“I’ve been working Stevedore for over 20 years and that is the only thing I know how to do. I didn’t go to college and this is the only thing I know to do. I didn’t go to college and this is the only way I know to make my livelihood. Luke came from out of nowhere and God knows how he became owner of the port. But know he wants to take away our job. What will happen to our kids? There is no other way I can make money. I am not educated so I can’t just go and find another job in an office just like that. What will I do with my kids?”
Keith Faber, Stevedore
“I have two kids to take care of and no one will take care of them other than me. We don’t have any education so to get a better job than we have. We have to make do with what we have right now. I think it is about time Luke come out and face the problem. What is he hiding for?”
The object of their anger, Luke Espat, was nowhere in sight and even if he was around this morning, the CWU says they are done trying to bargain with him.
James McFoy, CWU General Secretary
“It appears that Mr. Espat is hard to have a meeting with. Its very difficult. I think we have to go further than Mr. Espat now at this moment.”
KS: But he owns the Port, doesn't he?
James McFoy,
“Yes we understand that but somebody bigger than him has to talk to him because apparently with Mr. Espat by himself we will not get anything out of him. We have tried to have a meeting with him but to no avail.”
But Espat’s resistance will not break the persistence of the union or the workers who say this not a fight for just jobs – this is a fight for their livelihood.
Allan Sampson, Stevedore
“If we don’t try to get up and try fight, all 120 of us might walk away with no job at all.”
KS: _And that’s what you are afraid of?
Allan Sampson,
“And that’s what we are afraid of. We are afraid the Port Authority will select their own workers and put us one side.”
And these workers say today was the first step in making sure that never happens.
Our 7NEWS team met up with Ports owner Luke Espat who declined any comment on the issue instead referring us to his office which provided no comment. The Christian Worker's Union claims it has obtained an injunction against the Port of Belize which basically commits them to hiring unionized workers regardless of any new employees it hires. Still they plan to continue with their offensive with a picket of the Prime Minister's office on Wednesday.